Patentable/Patents/US-10042255
US-10042255

Block copolymers and pattern treatment compositions and methods

PublishedAugust 7, 2018
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

Block copolymers comprise a first block comprising an alternating copolymer, and a second block comprising a unit comprising a hydrogen acceptor. The block copolymers find particular use in pattern shrink compositions and methods in semiconductor device manufacture for the provision of high resolution patterns.

Patent Claims
18 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A block copolymer, comprising: a first block comprising an alternating copolymer, wherein the alternating copolymer is formed by polymerization of an electron acceptor monomer with an electron donating monomer; and a second block comprising a unit comprising a hydrogen acceptor, wherein the hydrogen acceptor is a group chosen from amine, imine, diazine, diazole, optionally substituted pyridine, and combinations thereof.

2

2. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the alternating copolymer comprises a repeat unit of the following general formula (I): wherein: R 1 is independently chosen from halogen, hydroxyl, optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl, C1-10 alkoxy, C1-10 carboxyl, optionally substituted C6-14 aryl and optionally substituted C6-14 aryloxy; R 2 is chosen from hydrogen, optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl and optionally substituted C6-14 aryl; X is an oxygen or nitrogen atom; x is an integer from 0 to 5; and y is 0 or 1, provided that when X is an oxygen atom, y is 0, and when X is a nitrogen atom, y is 1.

3

3. The block copolymer of claim 2 , wherein X is a nitrogen atom.

4

4. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen acceptor group is an amine or an optionally substituted pyridine group.

5

5. A pattern treatment composition, comprising the block copolymer of claim 1 and a solvent.

6

6. The pattern treatment composition of claim 5 , wherein the solvent is an organic solvent.

7

7. The pattern treatment composition of claim 5 , wherein the hydrogen acceptor is a group chosen from amine, imine, diazine, diazole, optionally substituted pyridine, and combinations thereof.

8

8. The pattern treatment composition of claim 5 , wherein the alternating copolymer comprises a repeat unit of the following general formula (I): wherein: R 1 is independently chosen from halogen, hydroxyl, optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl, C1-10 alkoxy, C1-10 carboxyl, optionally substituted C6-14 aryl and optionally substituted C6-14 aryloxy; R 2 is chosen from hydrogen, optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl and optionally substituted C6-14 aryl; X is an oxygen or nitrogen atom; x is an integer from 0 to 5; and y is 0 or 1, provided that when X is an oxygen atom, y is 0, and when X is a nitrogen atom, y is 1.

9

9. The pattern treatment composition of claim 8 , wherein X is a nitrogen atom.

10

10. The pattern treatment composition of claim 5 , wherein the hydrogen acceptor group is an amine or an optionally substituted pyridine group.

11

11. A pattern treatment method, comprising: (a) providing a substrate comprising a patterned feature on a surface thereof; (b) applying a pattern treatment composition of claim 5 to the patterned feature; and (c) rinsing residual pattern treatment composition from the substrate, leaving a portion of the block copolymer bonded to the patterned feature.

12

12. The pattern treatment method of claim 11 , wherein the patterned feature is a photoresist pattern.

13

13. The pattern treatment method of claim 12 , wherein the photoresist pattern is formed by a negative tone development process comprising applying a layer of a photoresist composition to the substrate, exposing the photoresist composition layer to activating radiation through a patterned photomask, and developing the exposed photoresist composition layer with an organic solvent developer to remove unexposed regions of the photoresist composition layer.

14

14. The pattern treatment method of claim 11 , wherein the rinsing of residual pattern treatment composition from the substrate comprises an organic solvent rinse.

15

15. The pattern treatment method of claim 11 , wherein the hydrogen acceptor is a group chosen from amine, imine, diazine, diazole, optionally substituted pyridine, and combinations thereof.

16

16. The pattern treatment method of claim 11 , wherein the alternating copolymer comprises a repeat unit of the following general formula (I): wherein: R 1 is independently chosen from halogen, hydroxyl, optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl, C1-10 alkoxy, C1-10 carboxyl, optionally substituted C6-14 aryl and optionally substituted C6-14 aryloxy; R 2 is chosen from hydrogen, optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl and optionally substituted C6-14 aryl; X is an oxygen or nitrogen atom; x is an integer from 0 to 5; and y is 0 or 1, provided that when X is an oxygen atom, y is 0, and when X is a nitrogen atom, y is 1.

17

17. The pattern treatment method of claim 16 , wherein X is a nitrogen atom.

18

18. The pattern treatment method of claim 11 , wherein the hydrogen acceptor group is an amine or an optionally substituted pyridine group.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

October 19, 2016

Publication Date

August 7, 2018

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